More than 60 Marines return home to Buckley

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Sanjay Allen
  • 460th Space Wing Public Affairs
More than 60 Marines from Marine Air Control Squadron 23, stationed here, returned home from a 7-month deployment to Iraq Jan. 31.

The Marines were responsible for tactical air operations in the Anbar Province of Iraq.

Friends, family and coworkers piled into Hangar 909 and cheered ecstatically when the C-130 carrying the returning Marines made a fly-by, then ultimately landed.

It was an emotional event for everyone waiting for the C-130 to land. A mother, Debby Short, was looking forward to her son, Cpl. Tyler Short, seeing his daughter for the first time and his return to son and wife.

"I'm really looking forward to him meeting his daughter because he hasn't seen her yet," Ms. Short said with her emotions running on high. "(To) see how much Mason has changed, and see how much Miranda has grown into a really great woman. And I think he's going to be really pleased when he gets home."

Cpl. Short was among three Marines who saw their baby for the first time.

"It didn't really hit me until I saw him," said Cpl. Anthony Candelaria, another Marine seeing his new son for the first time. "All the excitement of seeing him and anxiousness of seeing him didn't really hit me until my wife and him started walking up."

The Marines will have a few days off to reacquaint with their friends and family before returning to full duty.